Atlanta Spotlight | Sara Blakely

By Staff Writer Atlanta Trend

• Apr 04, 2016

Atlanta-based SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation has signed up for sponsorship of the Atlanta Film Society’s New Mavericks program. This key sponsorship funds the New Mavericks Award that will be presented at the 40th annual event next month, and also provides support for year-round programming aiming to encourage women involved in various aspects of Atlanta’s film community.

“Spanx is celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of women in film, especially those behind the lens who shine a light on strong female characters,” said Sara Blakely, the company’s founder and owner. “The inspiring work created by the New Mavericks is a perfect example of what happens when women fulfill their potential and we are super excited to be a part of it.”

The Atlanta Film Society’s New Mavericks program was launched as a short film block in 2013, celebrating female-directed films featuring strong female leads. At ATLFF 2015, New Mavericks grew to include feature films that met the same criteria. Last year, the program grew beyond festival boundaries to include monthly networking events and the first-ever New Mavericks Film Series, which is expected to return in summer 2016. SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation will present a New Mavericks Award to a female filmmaker at the 2016 festival. This award will come with a $5,000 cash prize.

"We are overjoyed to have the support of Sara and the Spanx team, whose mission directly aligns with that of the New Mavericks program,” said Kristy Breneman, ATLFF Creative Director. “Female filmmakers are female entrepreneurs in a male-dominated industry, and no one is more familiar with the challenges that accompany this than Sara. Her testament to overcoming professional obstacles with internal confidence is an empowering model we're proud to extend to New Mavericks and female filmmakers everywhere."

As a nonprofit organization, the Atlanta Film Festival and its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society, rely heavily on the support of corporate sponsors, private foundations and government agencies in order to showcase the best of independent films to the Atlanta community. The 2016 festival will take place from April 1 – 10, 2016, and will feature an eclectic mix of more than 150 narrative and documentary feature and short films, 37 educational conferences and more than a dozen special events and presentations.

Feature-length films showcased in the 2016 ATLFF New Mavericks track that are eligible for the SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation New Mavericks Award are included below. Additionally, 25 short films that represent 13 different countries in this year’s New Mavericks program are listed below.